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Episode 162: Welsh Witchcraft
747 Plays10 days ago
Welcome back, Witches! This week, we’re diving into the mystical world of Welsh Witchcraft—a rich tapestry of folklore, folk magic, and ancient traditions rooted in the land of dragons and deep magic. We’ll explore the myth and magic of Welsh deities like Rhiannon, uncover traditional charms and practices, and discuss how this unique path blends history, spirit, and spellwork. 🐉🌿✨ So get in, Loser, light a candle, and join us as we journey into the enchanting realm of Welsh Witchcraft. 🕯️🍃🔮 We would be forever thankful if you left our podcast a 5-Star review. If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Supercast & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below. Supercast: https://getinloserweredoingwitchcraft.supercast.com Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/getinwitches Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch References:
- Mhara Starling (2022). An Introduction to Welsh Witchcraft. Llewellyn. https://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2994
- Thomas Deacon (2018). The History of Witchcraft in Wales. Wales Online. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/history-witchcraft-wales-15334964
- Paranormal (2019). Welsh Goddesses and Gods: List and Descriptions + How to Honor Them. Otherworldly Oracle. https://otherworldlyoracle.com/welsh-goddesses-gods/
- Natalia Klimczak (2016). The Tragic Tale of Welsh Goddess Branwen and her Death by Broken Heart. Ancient Origins. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/tragic-tale-welsh-goddess-branwen-and-her-death-broken-heart-006244
- Mhara Starling (2022). An Introduction to Welsh Witchcraft. Raven Hawks. https://ravenhawks.net/2022/05/30/an-introduction-to-welsh-witchcraft/
- Starling, Mhara. An Introduction to Welsh Witchcraft. (2022). Llewellyn. https://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2994?srsltid=AfmBOorzJE1OxdsEju2UTh-TghrvA-IYS2aCCXsENAYDpwgYA4lLVecj
- Uhl, Cassie. What is Awen? (Dec 9, ?) https://www.cassieuhl.com/blog/what-is-awen
- Encyclopedia Britannica Editors. Rhiannon: Celtic Deity. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rhiannon
- Youtube:Mhara Starling. Rhiannon: Welsh Goddess of Sovereignty: Welsh Deities 101
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:12
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft.
Welsh Witchcraft Overview
00:00:16
Speaker
So get in witches as we wander through the magical tales and timeless lore of Welsh witchcraft.
Personal Story: Tula Balm Reaction
00:00:37
Speaker
So
00:01:04
Speaker
I forgot to tell you about this. So just as a disclaimer for, I don't, I know you don't use this, but for any of our listeners who are thinking about using the Tula, there's like a under eye balm. Everybody's been using it.
00:01:19
Speaker
And I have been using this for a fucking year, a year. And I got it, like Mike bought it for me because on Amazon, I always have like a list. And so like whenever Mike is going to like buy me stuff for birthday, mother's day, whatever,
00:01:33
Speaker
He will just go to that list and just buy like everything on the fucking list for me um and add it to cart. And so I've had this like, it's like a, bomb that you put underneath your eyes in the morning and it has like caffeine in it. And it's supposed to be, supposed to be all natural and like, you know, kind of like a, a wake up situation. You can put it under makeup, over makeup, whatever.
00:01:58
Speaker
been using it for a year. And I've noticed too recently, like it's become very popular. a lot of people are using it. And I'm just like, oh my gosh, I've been using this. I was like ahead of the trend.
00:02:09
Speaker
All of a sudden, whenever Mike was TDY, like started getting this weird rash under my eyes. And I'm like, what the hell? Because I haven't changed anything in my routine. I use the exact, I have a specific morning routine and a specific evening routine. And I do not stray from that. I haven't added anything new to my routine And I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on.
00:02:30
Speaker
And then like the rash started kind
Discussion on Tula Balm Issues
00:02:32
Speaker
of hurting. And I was like, I don't know what to do. and it's like red. And so I'm just like, okay, well, I'm going to stop putting anything under my eyes. And so I like stopped putting everything under there and then only would put, because I didn't want my under eyes to get like all dry.
00:02:46
Speaker
I put a little bit of like, um or like Cetaphil or something like just the yeah the daily lotion or whatever, just to kind of keep everything okay and like hopefully that help soothe it.
00:02:58
Speaker
It took like a week or so of doing that for for it to go away. And I'm like, okay, well, that was weird. I don't know what happened, but let me go back and like slowly reintroduce things back into my routine under my eyes.
00:03:10
Speaker
Tell me why the first time I used that Tula shit again, again, fucking rash underneath my eyes. know. What are they using it? don't know. And like I went looked at it and I started like Googling it too because I'm just like, what the fuck?
00:03:25
Speaker
Everything in there is stuff that I've used multiple times, like hyaluronic acid and things like that, caffeine. like I have like an actual like The Ordinary's caffeine serum that I used to use.
00:03:36
Speaker
And I'm just like, what the hell? And whenever I was researching it, a shit ton of girls also who had been using it for like a year or months or you know a while, all of a sudden started developing ah reaction to it.
00:03:51
Speaker
I wonder if it's something in a breakdown of the products over the time. Like if it's causing a reaction, that's the only thing I can think of. yeah Because it wouldn't make sense for it to be like, you've been using it without an issue.
00:04:08
Speaker
And then all of a sudden out of nowhere, Or if there is, like if it's not formulated correctly to be used every day long term.
00:04:20
Speaker
Like if the, whatever it is that's causing it, if that amount is too high to be used every day long term. So then eventually it causes a reaction versus like if it was balanced for long term use.
00:04:33
Speaker
long-term use Yeah, could be that too. Yeah.
Pronunciation Challenges in Welsh
00:04:38
Speaker
I'm never using that shit again immediately in trash can. I'm just like, what the fuck?
00:04:44
Speaker
So every day this week too, because it's like, you know, very pale anyway. and so I've had this like red, like but just redness underneath my eyes. no I've got injured in my eyes, but it is what it is.
00:05:01
Speaker
No, that's the worst. Hopefully, I think it's almost gone away. hope it completely goes away by Monday because it's awful. and itches i' take some ta say I can't really see anything in the video. Just my beautiful voice. Oh, thank you.
History and Culture of Welsh Witchcraft
00:05:21
Speaker
and
00:05:24
Speaker
I also just want to preface before we even start talking... um There are a lot of pronunciations that I am not going to do well with. I'm going to do my best.
00:05:35
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Wow, these words. They are. and And here's the thing. is like so i ah We already are going to mention, I think i have a little bit at the very end about this Welsh word.
00:05:51
Speaker
There's a Welsh practitioner that we've referenced, both of us have referenced whenever doing this research, and i followed them for a while, but one of the things that they say is that you know, whenever you're talking about Welsh magic, it is important to try and pronunci pronounce it the correct way. But like if you can't and you don't because you don't have a Welsh accent and you're not familiar with the language, it's okay.
00:06:20
Speaker
So just know yeah we're going to try our best, but we're also Welsh. I mean, well, genetically. Yeah. yeah but We didn't grow up speaking but Welsh language.
00:06:40
Speaker
so Yeah, i because I messaged you offline and i was like, oof, these pronunciations are going to be rough. They are going to be rough.
00:06:51
Speaker
And then with some of them too, there was multiple different pronunciations online. Nothing that was similar at all. No. Yeah, I tried. So for my pronunciations, if they are not even close, first of all, I'm sorry.
00:07:07
Speaker
Second of all, I picked one like site there that you could put the words in and it had people like pronouncing it. And I tried to stick with just that one so that it was consistent at least. I'm either going to be consistently terrible or consistently okay.
00:07:26
Speaker
So there's that. Except for like there was like two or three that just weren't on there and I had to go like look other places to see if I could find them. Yeah. So I they'll at least be consistent good or bad. I don't know.
00:07:41
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, same. um I think mine will just be consistently bad, but I did try. So Marla Starling, the practitioner that I referenced earlier, they have a video on YouTube where they go over – pronunciations of a lot of very common words and deities in Welsh witchcraft. so I tried to use that exclusively.
00:08:08
Speaker
But again, i am not from that area and I do not speak that language. And so it was difficult. So their pronunciations are so good too. And I feel like, cause I watched a few and I was like, I'm never even going to be close to sitting in this way. yeah So yeah.
00:08:28
Speaker
We tried. But anyway, so I guess let's get into it. also wish that they could see our notes because I have to dumb it down so phonetically that it looks stupid.
00:08:40
Speaker
Oh, same. Yeah. Yeah. If only you guys could see that because...
00:08:48
Speaker
It's really funny. It is. Yeah. Yeah. yeah It is. And it's not even like perfect phonetics either. It's just what makes sense for us. Yeah. How will my brain look at this and pronounce it the way it should be? That's how I write it out, which is ridiculous looking sometimes. Yep. Same, same.
00:09:10
Speaker
But I guess, yeah, let's just get into it. Let's start off with some background and history.
Welsh Mythology and Symbols
00:09:15
Speaker
So something that I think is important to note when it comes to Wales is that Witchcraft in Wales is deeply rooted in the land's cultural and mythological identity.
00:09:24
Speaker
Magic has been woven into its stories, language, and even national symbolism. I'm going to go over this a little bit later too, but the the very emblem of Wales, the red dragon, or known in Welsh as the Idra Gok, I'm sure pronounced that terribly, hints at its magical heritage.
00:09:44
Speaker
In Welsh lore, dragons represent not only strength and protection, but also the unseen forces of the natural and spiritual world. The earliest documented cases of witchcraft in Wales dates back to the early 16th century.
00:09:58
Speaker
And actually, the oldest surviving pretrial documents related to witchcraft in all of Britain come from Wales, which I thought was incredibly interesting. They really know how to you know protect their documents, I guess.
00:10:10
Speaker
Between 1550 and 1720, there were only about 42 individuals who were formally indicted for witchcraft across the country. Yeah, and historically, when we look at Wales and the witch trials, unlike England and much of Europe, Wales was largely untouched by witch hysteria.
00:10:31
Speaker
Witch trials were rare and typically occurred only in regions heavily influenced by English culture. In total, only five people were executed in Wales um over nearly 200 And think and i think Overall language kind of plays a part in this.
00:10:49
Speaker
Language tells the story. And during the witch trials, there was no native Welsh word for witch used in court. um There were borrowed English terms like wits or witches, but it's like S-H-E-S, not like C-H-E-S like we normally say.
00:11:10
Speaker
um And those were used instead. The modern Welsh word, and here we go, guys, we're kicking it off with these pronunciations, gudras, was more aligned with a folkloric hag, and it was not typically applied to real magical practitioners.
00:11:29
Speaker
Yeah. And speaking of language too, I think that the Celtic language and influence of Celtic values and culture on Wales allowed for a worldview that was also more accepting of folk practices and natural magic.
00:11:43
Speaker
and And unlike many other regions of the British Isles, prosecuting suspected witches was not easy or common. And local customs, community ties, and language barriers hindered outside legal intervention. And in one case, three suspected witches from Carnarvonshire were arrested in 1622. neighboring justice of the peace stated that he wouldn't get involved because he, quote, couldn't meddle in the business of that nature.
00:12:09
Speaker
And additionally, during this time, prosecutors were more worried about theft problems. So witchcraft was very low on their list of things to kill women for. regents seem to have magical specialists rather than like, quote unquote, witches. And they had many terms for magical practitioners.
00:12:28
Speaker
um So just bear with me here, guys. The first is going to be Derwin. And they had Concierge Dean Hespice.
00:12:40
Speaker
Guaidan and Darrow Ghanor. And there were more than those, but these were basically respected figures who offered services like divination, healing, and protective charms.
00:12:53
Speaker
Then there was also Svenrag, which were traditional female magical practitioners. And there were some kind some kind they were sometimes referred to as swinerag, which was the charmed woman.
00:13:10
Speaker
And they worked with herbs, incantations, and divination to help the community. and there were even male and gender-neutral counterparts, and they were called the Svenwer and the Svennith, which that one was kind of funny to me because I have a German friend named Sven, and now I just want to call him Svennith.
00:13:31
Speaker
Oh, you should. Absolutely. That's his new name. Svennith. ah Yeah. I don't know why immediately I was like, oh, Svennith. Traditionally, those who were suspected of practicing magic were women, and they were often described as ugly or old.
00:13:46
Speaker
And there was also the belief that witches didn't act alone and that they would work in groups, often with someone as a leader known as a chief witch. And historically, witches in Wales weren't suspected to work with the devil, but animal guises appeared often in tales of witchcraft.
00:14:04
Speaker
And really an important takeaway when looking at Welsh history is that we have to acknowledge that magic was a way of life. In rural Wales, magic wasn't feared. It was part of daily life.
00:14:18
Speaker
So though historic practitioners didn't call themselves witches, modern witches can find deep roots and inspiration in these folk magical traditions. Yeah, and so if we were to look at kind of a historical timeline of Welsh myths and legends, it would look somewhat like this.
00:14:35
Speaker
So from around 500 BC to 180, this is known as a foundational period of Welsh mythology. So during this time, Celtic tribes and whales practiced nature-based spirituality, They revered the land, the other world, and supernatural beings.
00:14:52
Speaker
And this time is when oral storytelling thrived, which preserved the stories of different deities, spirits, and ancestors. From about the to 700s AD,
00:15:03
Speaker
This time we see a rise of Arthurian legends rooted in early Welsh poetry and tales. Figures like Arthur and Merlin emerged in Welsh traditions long before they were romanticized characters of later medieval literature, which I did not know that.
00:15:21
Speaker
So I thought that was a very interesting that it had its roots in Welsh like yeah traditional poetry and stuff. From about the eight hundreds to AD, this time is when we see myths surrounding the battle between the red dragon and the white dragon, which symbolize the struggle between the native Bretons, or the Welsh, and the invading Saxons.
00:15:43
Speaker
This story is recorded in the Historia Bretonum, in the 9th century and reinforces the symbolic power of the red dragon as a welsh symbol of resistance and from the 1100s to about 1200s AD this is when we see the first compilations of the Mabinagi tales which we will discuss more about in a bit but this was a method to capture and preserve welsh oral traditions From about the 1300s to AD, we see the legends of Tilwith Teg or Fair Folk become more widely recorded.
00:16:17
Speaker
And these beings are portrayed as both enchanting and dangerous, protectors of the natural world, as well as gatekeepers to the other world. In 1485, the Red Dragon was also adopted as the symbol of Welsh pride when Henry Tudor, or who he was eventually known as Henry the seventh um who was of Welsh descent, carried it to the victory in the Battle of Bosworth.
00:16:41
Speaker
And from about the 15 to 1600s AD, encounter deeper mythic reinterpretations of folk retellings, including the tragic tale of Bloedaved, who was a woman made of flowers and transformed into an owl.
00:16:56
Speaker
Her story is found in the Mabinagi and represents betrayal, transformation, and the wild feminine. Moving into some mythology and symbolism, if you're curious about diving into Welsh mythology, one of the best places to start is the Mabinyagion, which sometimes is just referred to as the Mabinyagi.
00:17:17
Speaker
um i don't know the difference on how like how they decide what they're going to call it, if it's the Mabinyagion or the Mabinyagi. i don't know.
00:17:28
Speaker
so I did come across an explanation about this. Okay. And it's from Amara Starling. Either one they said is you can use them. by Okay. But the Mabinyagi is more of the actual pronunciation because...
00:17:49
Speaker
They believe that um the Mabanyagiyan is a mispronunciation of that word. um and so But it's if you research it, and you guys would see this too, like we're going to use it interchangeably, but like yeah when you're researching it too, it is listed interchangeably Mabanyagiyan.
00:18:09
Speaker
every place that we ever referenced. It was like every source that I went to like went back and forth. Like this one said Mabinyagi on, this one said Mabinyagi, Mabinyagi on, Mabinyagi. And it was just like back and forth. And i was like, this is weird, but it's all the same book. So yeah.
00:18:26
Speaker
And outside of a collection of stories, it's a vital part of Welsh culture identity as well. That is also taught in schools from a very young age. And I think that's so cool because you don't see that often. i feel like especially Western societies um and the Mabinyagi or the Mabinyagion preserves the values of Celtic mythology and it gives a lot of insight into medieval Welsh mythology as well.
00:18:54
Speaker
In this episode, we're literally just going to be dipping our toes into the world of Welsh mythology. So just a few highlights, a couple key figures, um just a few like of the symbols and a look at a couple of Welsh deities.
Exploration of Welsh Deities
00:19:08
Speaker
Welsh mythology is incredibly rich and expansive and there's no way to cover it all in one episode. But hopefully this is a good, solid and inspiring starting point for anyone that's interested and it.
00:19:22
Speaker
To start us off, I'm going to start with some Welsh deities and lore. To start us off, we're going to talk about a couple of Welsh deities and their lore. So I'm going to be covering Rhiannon, and she is a Welsh goddess that is associated with serenity, horses, grief, and the journey of healing from trauma and anxiety.
00:19:45
Speaker
She's one of the most well-known figures in Welsh mythology, with a lasting presence in pop culture, thanks in part to Stevie Nicks, and in modern pagan practices, where she's often seen as an aspect of the goddess.
00:19:59
Speaker
Riannon is frequently linked to other horse goddesses, um including Epona in Gowlish mythology and Maca in Irish tradition.
00:20:10
Speaker
Her story first appears in the Mabinyagian, where she is described as riding a pale white horse, and she eventually meets and marries King Poish. Riannon is often considered to be a figure from the other world, appearing as a mysterious and radiant woman who cannot be caught no matter how fast a rider pursues her until she chooses to stop and to speak with King Poish.
00:20:36
Speaker
In their lore, Riannon appears riding a pale white horse, moving at a gentle trot, yet no matter how fast Poish chases after her, he can't catch up and he's mesmerized by her beauty.
00:20:48
Speaker
and driven to pursue her, but it's all in vain until she chooses to stop. And this story highlights Riannon's otherworldly nature and sovereignty. She's not a prize to be won through force or speed.
00:21:01
Speaker
Her pause is an act of will, not a submission. It's only by her choice that Poish is able to approach her, setting the tone for the relationship rooted in divine agency and not conquest, which I absolutely love.
00:21:15
Speaker
She's also referred to in the archetype of the sovereignty goddess because she chose Poish. Her choosing of Poish as her husband rather than accepting the suitor chosen for her marks her this way and it's a common Celtic motif where a goddess grants kingship or legitimacy to a ruler through union.
00:21:37
Speaker
One of the darker chapters of her tale involves being falsely accused of killing, and sometimes depending on where you're getting the story from, even eating her infant son, Pruderi, after he disappears one day. As punishment, she's forced to act as a horse carrying visitors to the royal court.
00:21:57
Speaker
In other versions, she's also made to wear collars of asses around her neck, marking her as a beast of burden. Her false accusation paired with her humiliating punishment is symbolic of endurance, humility and rebirth after injustice.
00:22:16
Speaker
She was a very powerful symbol of resilience and redemption in Wales. And the icing on the cake in this story is that her son eventually returns.
00:22:26
Speaker
Pruderi is a significant figure in Welsh mythology as well. His name means care or worry, which directly connects to Rhiannon's grief over his disappearance. His eventual return is part of her vindication in the completion of her redemption arc.
00:22:43
Speaker
Riannon is also known to have strong connections to birds and their bird song. Some versions of her story connect her with magical birds whose song can lull people to sleep or heal sorrow.
00:22:58
Speaker
And these birds are said to live in the other world and are sometimes seen as an extension of her power over emotion. time, and transition. The white horse she rides is not just a symbol of nobility and freedom, but also a liminal creature, one that crosses thresholds between worlds like life and death, mortal and otherworld.
00:23:18
Speaker
And horses are sacred in Celtic tradition, where they were believed to be protectors. Horsehair was sometimes even braided for charms or used in divination practices.
00:23:30
Speaker
In modern paganism, Rhiannon is often invoked as a goddess of transformation, justice, feminine strength, and sacred journeying. She's seen as a divine figure who helps people reclaim their power after periods of suffering.
00:23:44
Speaker
Oh, I did not know any of that. I know. I was like, ah really like this. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going to be talking about Bronwyn.
00:23:55
Speaker
Bronwyn is also featured in the Mabinyagi or the Mabinyagion. And a while she is featured heavily in Welsh folklore, there is archaeological evidence that indicates that she could have actually been a real woman in history as well, which is really cool.
00:24:09
Speaker
Yeah. Bronwyn is known as the goddess of love and beauty and she was from an area near the Berwyn range in Wales and said to be the daughter of Penarden and Hyre, the sea god.
00:24:23
Speaker
Bronwyn's story goes that the Irish king came to Wales to ask for Bronwyn's hand in marriage. The marriage was agreed to. And at the celebration, Bronwyn's half-brother, who was a bit late to the feast and out of the loop, found out what the reason was for the feast.
00:24:38
Speaker
And he was so enraged, he mutilated the Irish king's horses. And the Irish king was, of course, very upset. Like, that sounds like a very large overreaction.
00:24:49
Speaker
um and But he was calmed whenever he was given cauldron as a gift. And this cauldron will, I'll talk a bit more later on when we're talking about symbols, but it is um significant in Welsh mythology. And this cauldron was said to bring the dead back to life.
00:25:08
Speaker
The king didn't know that while the cauldron did work to bring those who died back to life, they came back without the ability to speak. The king took Bronwyn back to Ireland with him, and it was said that he was very abusive.
00:25:22
Speaker
as if to punish her for what her brother did at their wedding. Bronwyn would end up sending a message to Wales asking for her rescue, which started a very long and very bloody war between Wales and Ireland.
00:25:34
Speaker
During this war, her brother, Bran the Blessed, different brother from the one who slaughtered the horses, dies. And Bronwyn was so distressed with grief, not only for her brother, but for everyone else who died in the war that she inadvertently caused that she dies of a broken heart.
00:25:51
Speaker
After her death, she was rumored to have been buried in Anglesey beside the river Alau. And throughout history, her tomb has never been forgotten. For hundreds of years, people who live in that area believe that they know the location of her tomb.
00:26:05
Speaker
The site is known as the Bed Bronwyn, but there's no inscription to identify the tomb. But as I mentioned earlier, there was an excavation completed in that area in the 1960s where urns were discovered that contained human ashes.
00:26:19
Speaker
Based on the remains, if the tomb is real and the remains are Bronwyn, That would mean that she lived during the early Bronze period. Bronwyn's legacy as a goddess sees her as a protector of abused women and the goddess of true love and healthy marriages, which is really sweet, but also terrible.
00:26:38
Speaker
We have a visitor, kitty cat visitor. I don't know if you can hear her while you were talking. She was like, meh. ah Oh, I didn't hear. Nike. wish we were friends. She thinks she's parrot. She likes to sit on our shoulders like this when we're at our computers.
00:26:52
Speaker
Of course. She does it to Anthony, and if you won't pick her up, she'll just be like, meh. I scream at him until he does. If I fits, I sits, she says. Literally, she's a bird.
00:27:04
Speaker
Moving into some symbolism in Welsh witchcraft, the first symbol that I mentioned earlier actually is the Welsh dragon or the Idragok. Again, I'm sure I'm butchering that. try um So this is one of the oldest national symbols in Europe and appears in Welsh mythology as early as the 9th century.
00:27:25
Speaker
I mentioned its story recorded by Neneas in the Historia Britannum and its links to resilience, but for additional symbolism, the Welsh dragon is linked to resistance and survival, and it represents the spirit of the Welsh nation enduring against oppression and English conquest.
00:27:44
Speaker
There's also the symbolism of sovereignty and power in the dragon. As a dragon is a protector and force of nature, the dragon also connects to ancient Celtic beliefs and guardian spirits of the land. And lastly, fire, strength, and vision.
00:27:59
Speaker
Dragons embody transformational power, foresight, and primal elemental energy as well. And then I'm going to touch on the symbol called the Alwyn symbol.
00:28:11
Speaker
This symbol features three vertical lines enclosed within a circle. The center line stands straight while the other two lines tilt inward. Can you hear her? I heard her. Yeah. okay Sorry, guys. It's okay.
00:28:25
Speaker
She's precious, but she's a turd.
00:28:29
Speaker
um Okay, so the center line stands straight while the other two lines tilt inward as if converging toward a central point near the top, but they never touch. um And above each of the lines sits a dot symbolizing inspiration or divine energy flowing down through each ray like the lines are considered rays.
00:28:51
Speaker
The entire symbol is often interpreted as a flow of spiritual insight, harmony, and creative force. This symbol has strong ties with the bard Taliesin, who Sam has discussed on the podcast before.
00:29:04
Speaker
and I don't remember where we talked about Taliesin, but it is in a past episode. i don't know if you remember off the top of your head. I could not figure it out.
00:29:15
Speaker
I don't remember, but I think it was probably in season one, wasn't it? I think so. yeah it it had to offend. I couldn't figure it out, though. And in Druidic and Bardic tradition, allwwin represents the creative spark that flows from the universe into poets, seers, and makers.
00:29:32
Speaker
The three rays are sometimes interpreted as mind, body, and spirit, or truth, love, and wisdom. This symbol is also seen as an image of spiritual illumination,
00:29:46
Speaker
divine harmony and connection to higher consciousness. And it represents the balance of opposites like dark and light or masculine and feminine with a third unifying force, very similar to triadic Celtic cosmology like land, sea and sky or birth, life and death.
00:30:05
Speaker
And this particular symbol is used in Welsh witchcraft in a number of ways, but here's just a few that I found. You can meditate on the symbol or visualize it to channel clarity, inspiration, and creative flow.
00:30:19
Speaker
It can be drawn or carved into ritual tools, altar spaces, or used in sigils to invite inspiration, truth, and connection to spirit. And it's often invoked at the start of rituals, um writing, or spell work, especially for poetry, music, prophecy, or divination.
00:30:40
Speaker
I also wanted to mention one other symbol that I know we've also discussed on this podcast before and I just referenced in um my above story, and that is the Cauldron of Rebirth. This cauldron belongs to Bronwyn's brother, Bran the Blessed, who was a giant and king of Britain.
00:30:57
Speaker
The cauldron, as I mentioned, restores the dead to life, but they can't speak after they've been restored to life. In the mythology of Branwen the war that breaks out between Wales and Ireland, the Irish king uses theul uses the cauldron to restore the dead back to life and makes the Irish army almost unstoppable.
00:31:18
Speaker
The Welsh were able to destroy it, but it was very bloody and a lot of lives were lost. Symbolically, the cauldron, like in many belief systems... represents rebirth and transformation, initiation, representing also the womb of the goddess, the grave and the cradle, and the end and beginning.
00:31:36
Speaker
it also links back to the balance of life and death. And the silence of the dead reminds us that some transformations come at a cost. And then for those of you that have made it to the end of this episode, and you're interested in some Welsh folk magical practices and like how to incorporate them,
00:31:55
Speaker
There are so many fascinating beliefs in magical practices woven throughout Welsh history. You just have to dig a little to uncover them. And before we dive into a few that we came across, it's worth noting that these traditions often vary slightly depending on the region that they came from.
00:32:14
Speaker
Each area has its own unique spin on the old ways. So let's just look at a few of them. So new Year's Day ritual, I found this and I thought it was like so simple, but also like really interesting.
00:32:28
Speaker
So a traditional cleansing and blessing practice involves taking a bundle of pine needles, dipping them into some freshly gathered spring water, and then you gently like splash the water onto your face and body with the needles.
00:32:43
Speaker
And it's a symbolic way to wash away the old year's energy and welcome in the new And all i could think of about all I could think about were like the little handheld brooms. What do they call those?
00:32:56
Speaker
can't don't talk about the little tiny ones? Yeah, the little ones. They have like a name and you can use them to like like clear negative energy off like your altar space or your workspace or whatever. that it made me think of that, but like for your body. Yeah.
00:33:10
Speaker
Yeah. I was like, aw. The next one I came across was, it's called Romanta, think. It's a type of divination that's often pertaining to love.
00:33:23
Speaker
Romanta was a form of folk divination centered around love and relationships. Some rituals were designed to reveal visions or apparitions of your future spouse.
00:33:35
Speaker
So think of it as like the old world version of a soulmate spell. um Black cats were considered healers in a way. So black cats were believed to be bewitched. Caring for one was said to offer protection.
00:33:48
Speaker
So if you took one in and you treated it well, it would guard you and your home against illness and disease, which I think is so cute. And then there are Lots of magical trees in um Welsh tradition, but two very important ones are the firze, but not like F-I-R. It's like F-U-R-Z-E.
00:34:13
Speaker
and Rowan. So certain trees held powerful protective energy. The firs is also referred to as a prickly firs or a gorse.
00:34:24
Speaker
And the Rowan trees were believed to ward off malevolent spirits and mischievous fairies. um So they were just like natural guardians that they often planted with intention, which I thought was super cute.
00:34:37
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. and More than anything, though, the first thing that you'll want to do if this if this topic interests you is do more research. We say this all the time.
00:34:47
Speaker
a We say it all the time on this podcast. We read that. like Just do it. Yes. Yeah. Because you know your want to research the mythology in the history surrounding Welsh witchcraft and look at the lore, study the Mabinyagi, and learn from Celtic Welsh practitioners.
Welsh Folk Magic Practices
00:35:05
Speaker
Mara Starling, who we have mentioned multiple times and who is listed in our references, is a wonderfully knowledgeable practitioner. And I follow them on every platform. So worth the follow. Please go and follow them if you are interested in Celtic Welsh magic.
00:35:21
Speaker
Other things that you can do as well, outside of what Tiffany mentioned, is focusing on healing and herbal magic. The cunning folk used herbs, prayers, and charms for healing and protection, and some of the most common herbs that were used were yarrow, mugwort, vervain, and angelica.
00:35:39
Speaker
Practice picking your herbs before sunrise, barefoot, and in silence. Say a blessing or a charm over your plants. and maybe even your herbs above your hearth or doorway to ward off evil.
00:35:52
Speaker
Additionally, you can create protective charms like talismans and amulets. And we have an entire episode on talismans. Just go back and listen to that. I didn't link the actual episode number, but it was recent. So yeah, yeah like just go back and listen to that if you haven't.
00:36:11
Speaker
But some traditional Welsh magical practices would include things like tying rowan branches over your doors you know to ward off evil or ill will, nailing horseshoes above your threshold for protection, and using knot magic to bind or protect.
00:36:25
Speaker
You could also provide offerings to the Tilwith Teg, and this can include things like cream, bread, or coins near trees, wells, or mounds to keep their favor. And additionally, you'll want to avoid speaking their names directly, maybe even turn your clothes inside out to confuse fairies if you are lost,
00:36:43
Speaker
and avoid walking over or a disturbing fairy rings. And then lastly, some additional holidays. The first one is Mayday or Kalanmai. Shout out to anybody who has read A Quarth Thorns and Roses.
00:36:59
Speaker
um But bonfires during this celebration would be lit on hilltops, and there would be feasting and dancing around hawthorn trees. This was a time for love, divination, and blessing livestock.
00:37:12
Speaker
The second one is Calan Gav, and this is the Welsh equivalent of Samhain. So it's celebrated on October 31st, of course, and this is a time where spirits are believed to be active and people would carve turnip lanterns and place them on walls or in windowsills.
00:37:31
Speaker
And if you've never seen the carved turnips of old, like, celebrations... please go look them up because they're horrifying. They are. They're scarier than pumpkin. Yeah. Yeah, it is awful.
00:37:47
Speaker
ah yeah But yeah, so this is our introduction to Welsh witchcraft.
Outro and Next Episode Preview
00:37:53
Speaker
I hope that you guys enjoyed this episode because we loved it. Yeah. And there is a ton more information. So if this is something you're interested in,
00:38:05
Speaker
do some research. There's plenty of it out there for you. yeah.
00:38:16
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of get in loser. We're doing witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you love this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review, wherever you listen to your podcasts, it helps more witches seekers and magical misfits find our show.
00:38:31
Speaker
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00:38:45
Speaker
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00:38:58
Speaker
Join us next week as we discuss the power in magical names. Until next time, stay magical, stay curious, and as always, blessed be witches.